A new crime drama has received smash-hit reviews – and we can't wait to tune in. The new Apple TV+ show Smoke stars Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett, and it's inspired by a true story. Critics have shared their thoughts on Rotten Tomatoes – and it sounds like it's well worth the watch.
The Hollywood Reporter said: "The Dennis Lehane-created show is too long and frustratingly repetitive, but it unfurls a fascinating mystery, features one of the summer’s best ensemble casts and floats big ideas that don’t always come through cleanly in the execution," while Globe and Mail added: "The dialogue is sharp and the performances intense and off-kilter enough to feel original. This is enough to get past the indulgent run time of the pilot."
So what is the show all about? The synopsis reads: "Inspired by true events, Smoke follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists." The series is inspired by a podcast – which is based on true events. Intrigued? So are we!
Taron and Jurnee's performances were widely praised, with IGN Movies adding: "Smoke suffers from its overly ambiguous storytelling. Yet despite all the frustrations that presents, the performances by Egerton, Jurnee Smollett, and the rest of the ensemble make this an endlessly watchable and compelling series," while Screen Rant added: "This is yet another real-life inspiration fuelling complex & interesting character studies for the actors to help deliver a stylish and thrilling show."
Speaking about her character, Jurnee told The Direct: "She's drawn to danger. She's drawn to the things that will destroy her. She's in the pattern of destruction, creation, destruction, creation. And the trauma that she has from her childhood and her relationship with her mother really informs the way she sees the world.
"She's constantly playing with fire, you know. And the metaphor of fire really is just about all of these forces in our life, whether it's a toxic relationship with her boss, who's married, who she breaks up with when he leaves his wife, you know, she's constantly dancing on the edge. Why? You know, and that's part of what Dennis and I wanted to explore with Michelle is, why do we do that as human beings?"
Smoke is available to watch on Apple TV+
